Wrong Kind of Paradise

by Suzie Grant

  couldn’t. All of her limbs went weak, and pain ricocheted through her body. She just couldn’t get back up

  anymore.

  And she hated herself for that. I want to make him pay for what he did to you, Papa. But I can’t.

  I’m not that strong.

  The viscount got off her and she curled into a ball. Tears puddled under her cheek and pain

  wracked her heart. She’d failed. And failure had never tasted quite so bitter before.

  She missed her father with all her heart. I’m so sorry, Papa.

  The viscount kicked her in the stomach and she choked, feeling as if every body part would spill

  from her mouth. Every muscle was sore and an ache settled inside her chest.

  “You’re not going to take away my one opportunity to get my revenge. Do you hear me?” the

  viscount said.

  He reached down, grabbed up her head by the hair, and leaned down into her face. Angel

  whimpered, her scalp screaming in protest. Both of her hands tried to clasp at his offending hand to

  relieve some of the pressure. But he only pulled harder with a laugh.

  “I don’t care that Logan isn’t here to witness it anymore. I just want the deed done.”

  She sobbed.

  “But I am here, Phillip.”

  Twenty-Four

  Fury enveloped Logan to see his daughter in his brother’s hands. Blood spilled from several

  wounds on her face and she sobbed in fear. He staggered from a wound to his head, though Logan’s vision

  had never been so clear before now. He would kill his own brother. This much was certain. The

  atrocities Phillip had inflicted on him and Elizabeth might have been forgiven with the right provocation.

  The injuries to his daughter would not.

  He entered the room fully and Phillip backed up, dragging Angel with him. She gasped at the pain.

  “Let her go, Phillip.”

  Phillip limped. The viscount was injured. Excellent. That just made the task so much easier. They

  circled each other.

  “Do you think I’m stupid enough to let her go now? Especially, since you get the chance to watch

  her die.” Phillip cackled. “I couldn’t have asked for better timing.”

  “You won’t walk out of here alive.”It was a statement of fact, and they both knew it. Rage

  clambered with control, and the battle between the two was quickly dissipating with his fury as the

  winner.

  “Is that so?”

  Phillip eyed him. He didn’t blink and didn’t glance away. The viscount was afraid. Logan gave a

  feral smile. As he should. “Afraid?” It wasn’t really a question. Logan flexed his shoulders and cracked

  his neck. “When you injure the offspring, you waken the beast.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself, brother.”

  “You hated the fact that I was the oldest and a bastard. And I would still inherit everything. You

  hated the fact that mother and father covered up the truth with lies by telling everyone I was born early.”

  “It wasn’t fair!” Phillip yelled. “You always got everything you wanted. You were their favorite.”

  “You let your jealousy blind you. Mother and Father gave you just as much attention as they did me.

  It just wasn’t enough for your greedy soul.”

  “Because I was the real legitimate heir! Not you!”

  Logan shook his head. “All you had to do was ask, and I would have handed you the title and

  money. I never wanted it, Phillip.”

  Phillip yanked Angel up in his arms against his chest. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll snap her

  neck.”

  Logan froze.

  “That’s just it, the perfect son. The martyr, the saint. The child who never did anything wrong and

  me...I was never good enough. I was always in trouble and being scolded. But you...you were perfect!”

  Phillip stepped back. “That would have been another reason for everyone to love you. Just another reason

  for everyone to think I was a greedy bastard.”

  “Was?” Logan snorted. “You still are.”

  “I didn’t care about the money!” Phillip’s arms tightened around Angel and she squealed in pain. “I

  just wanted to everyone to see that you weren’t so perfect.”

  “Well, you got what you wished for. You forced me into a life of piracy, a life on the run. You made

  me the villain with your lies and ruined my good name. Now let my daughter go. Let Elizabeth’s daughter

  go.”

  “There’s another person who loved you more,”Phillip whined. “No matter how much I gave her,

  how much attention I lavished on her, she always loved you more. So you see this is revenge on her as

  much as it is on you.”

  Logan gritted his teeth and curled his fists into tight balls. “And to think she cared for you until you

  tricked her and forced yourself on her. She’s the one who convinced me not to return that night and kill

  you while you slept after your betrayal.”

  Phillip grinned. “That’s too bad. I guess you lost your chance.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

  Logan took another step forward and Phillip placed both hands on Angel’s cheeks. “One quick snap

  of the neck will kill her Logan. Are you sure you want to do that?”

  Phillip took another step back and glass shattered behind him, spraying in all directions. Blac burst

  through the window with both feet and plowed into the viscount’s back, effectively throwing him off

  balance and loosening his hold on Angel.

  She fell forward and Logan caught her up in his arms, setting her behind him. Blac tumbled to the

  floor, obviously weakened by loss of blood as his entire left side was soaked with it.

  Logan pounced on Phillip, wrapping both arms around him and they toppled to the floor. “Get her

  out of here, Blac!” Logan yelled.

  Phillip jabbed an elbow into his ribs and popped his forehead with the back of his head. Logan

  howled in pain.

  They were both big men, as was their father before them. But Logan had spent the last twenty years

  aboard a ship, whereas his brother had spent the last twenty years sitting on his arse eating sweetmeats

  and tarts. Most of his weight had fallen to his belly. He was much slower than Logan.

  But the man had spent his early years in the Navy. He had the skills; they were just a bit rusty. And

  there was no way Logan would underestimate him again. Phillip was deceitful. He wouldn’t fight fair.

  Logan had already been privy to his brother’s duplicity once before. He wouldn’t make that mistake

  again.

  They studied each other, both tense and ready to spring. Logan was careful to keep Phillip on the

  other side of the room as Angel and Blac made their exit.

  “All right, brother. It’s just you and me now. Let’s finish this.”

  ~*~

  The clouds had thickened overhead as Angel and Blac stumbled down the corridor to the stairs. The

  roofless building shook with after-tremors, and Angel placed a hand on the wall to help hold the two of

  them up. Blac grew weaker and more dazed with every second.

  She glanced at him, concern marring her brow. “Just a little longer,” she whispered to him, but he

  didn’t appear to hear her. His eyes clouded and seemed to be looking in on themselves.

  How much blood had he lost? Where was he injured? She needed to tend to him. And quickly.

  Settling him against the wall, they slid down together. The soft thud of his head against the plaster

  seemed to draw him out of his dazed state and he jerked his gaze to her. “Where
are we? What are you

  doing?”

  “I need to tend to that wound.”

  “No. I promised Logan I would get you out of here.” He attempted to rise but pain registered across

  his face as he collapsed back down.

  She shook her head. “See? We’ll never make it like this. I need to stop the bleeding. Now hush and

  sit still.”

  Urging him to lean forward so she could get a better view, Angel ran her hands along his side and

  lifted his shirt gingerly. He winced and gasped. Fresh blood flowed from the wound.

  A sliver of wood protruded from his side by about two inches. Plenty of length to grip it but

  removing it could be costly. It would allow more blood to flow freely, and it could be risky.

  She sat back on her haunches to consider her next move. Taking a deep breath, Angel set about her

  task to remove the sliver of wood. Her hands shook slightly and she struggled to remain calm. With a firm

  grip, she tugged at the fragment and then tugged again until it popped free of the flesh. Fresh blood gurgled

  and ran down Blac’s side.

  Blac’s quick intake of breath caused her to wince. Her heart beat a quick drumming in her chest.

  Please let me do this right. Don’t let it be too late.

  Angel scurried and ripped the sleeves from her shirt and then packed the wound. Tying off the ends

  of her makeshift bandage, she sighed and sat back.

  It would have to do until she could find a physician. She worried about her father, but she needed to

  get Blac to safety first.

  “Can you walk?”

  He nodded, but pain creased his brow. Standing, she reached down to help him to his feet. They

  wobbled and struggled to regain some balance for several seconds before they reached the stair landing.

  She would have to get him down and since the stairs were missing, the feat might prove impossible.

  They reached the edge and she leapt down first.

  “Just keep it slow and edge forward, Blac.”

  He swung both feet over but seemed to lose consciousness as he simply toppled forward onto the

  floor with a thud. Angel rushed to him. “Are you all right? Blac! Answer me.”

  He’d passed out cold and lay in the inch high water on his injured side. The water around him

  turned a pale red as the blood seeped from the bandage.

  Frustration clenched her teeth and determination moved her forward to try to lift him. It was

  impossible though; he was simply too heavy. She pulled and tugged on his arms but he wouldn’t budge.

  Sliding down to plop onto her rear, tears threatened to fall.

  Angel crawled to his side and turned his face to her. “Blac please wake up, just for a few more

  minutes. Please.” She gently slapped his cheeks, and when that didn’t work, she splashed some of the cold

  water on his face.

  He came awake with a jerk and a gasp.

  Oh, thank God.

  With his help, she got him back up on his feet and they crossed the warehouse to the opened door. A

  glimmer of light sparkled by the corner of the building and she moved them toward it. Tangled within a

  mound of seaweed lay the lieutenants cane sword. A detailed silver plated solid skull pommel handle

  glisten under the sun’s meager rays.

  Propping Blac up, Angel fetched the sword and weighed it in her hand. This would come in handy

  in case she needed it. Movement from around the bend of the building caught her attention. She eased

  around the corner. Her father and the Viscount swung from the harbor crane arm.

  With the weapon in hand, Angel returned to lift Blac, and hoped that she made it in time to save her

  father from Phillip’s madness.

  ~*~

  Phillip tackled Logan to the ground, and they slid across the floor until Logan’s head cracked

  against the wall. His vision blurred. He shook it off and toppled the bastard off him, gaining his feet.

  But Phillip surprised him by whirling around and crawling through the opened window. Logan

  reached the window in two strides and grabbed for Phillip, but he leapt.

  Logan growled and peered out as both hands rested on the sill. He didn’t see Phillip. Had he

  disappear—

  The strike came from nowhere and pain exploded in his jaw. Phillip hung onto the swinging arm of

  the harbor crane, and as it swung around for a second time, Logan grabbed hold as well.

  Phillip kicked at him as they hung over the choppy waters beneath them. Logan grabbed the

  offending ankle with both feet and yanked with enough force that it dislodged one of Phillip’s hands. He

  dangled there for several seconds before his hand slipped, and he fell. Crashing through the rest of the

  roof — what was left of it — Phillip glanced up at Logan.

  Without thought, Logan climbed across the crane arm and hopped down to the roof. Parts of it were

  missing from the earthquake, and he scooted over the side to leap the rest of the way down. But Phillip

  had already exited out the door.

  There was no way in hell he was going to let his brother get away this time .

  He lunged, and the two crashed to the ground and almost slid off the edge of the broken wharves.

  Logan scrambled to get a good hold on one of the planks, just as Phillip tried to push him off. He growled.

  With a hard jab to Phillip’s jaw, he let go and Logan pulled himself back up.

  The board swung and he ducked at the last minute. Phillip cursed. “Why won’t you just die?” The

  return swing to his stomach sent Logan to the ground with a whoosh.

  Phillip raised the board above him and just before he struck again, Logan swept his feet out from

  under him. His brother toppled to the ground and Logan was on him. Logan wrapped his hands around his

  brother’s neck and a red haze clouded all reason.

  Anger. Hatred. Bitterness all surged forth from his heart to his hands as Logan squeezed the life out

  of his brother. Phillip struggled and twisted, trying to dislodge his hands.

  A memory of his brother as a child flashed through his mind and he gasped, lunging to his feet.

  Logan stared down from his hands to his brother and anguish filled his heart. What had they

  become? Monsters. And for what? A title? A fortune?

  “I don’t want to fight, Phillip.”

  “You always were the weaker one,” Phillip sneered.

  Logan nodded. “I just want my life with my daughter back. You can have everything else. I don’t

  want it. I don’t even want revenge.”

  Phillip struggled to his feet, gasping for breath. “You’re not going to take this away from me now.

  Not when I was so close!”

  “Do what you want, Phillip. But it’s over. I’m taking my daughter home.” Without another word, he

  turned and headed back toward the front of the building. Angel stood at the street’s edge, holding Blac up

  with both hands.

  Angel cried out and let go of Blac, who tumbled to the wet ground.

  “No!”Phillip’s roar came from behind. Logan whirled around and the slightest swish of air stirred

  by his face. The lieutenant’s sword soared by Logan and embedded in his brother’s chest. Phillip grasped

  the wound in his chest and dropped the harpoon he’d been holding. It clanged against the wood planks and

  rolled to a stop several feet away.

  His brother had tried to kill him. And his daughter had saved his life. Phillip’s eyes faded into

  death’s grip before he plunged to his knees. Sadness cocooned Logan as he watched his brother topple to

  the ground.
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  He strode to his brother. Pain lanced his chest and weighed heavily on him. Logan fought tears of

  regret. He hoped his brother had found some peace for once and he whispered his love to him as he

  closed the tortured dark eyes for the last time.

  Logan glanced behind him. Angel had rushed back to Blac’s side. She lifted his head in her hands

  and sobbed on his shoulder. Blac’s face had turned an ashen white color and he gasped for air. His chest

  rose and fell heavily as he struggled to grasp a complete breath and Logan sensed his friend neared the

  end.

  Angel let out a tortured wail and fell forward, her head resting on Blac’s chest. Ragged sobs

  wracked her tiny form and Logan’s heart clenched in regret.

  He prayed that he hadn’t saved their lives only to have his daughter’s heart split in two.

  Twenty-five

  With her father’s help, they transported Blac across the harbor to the small town of Kingston to

  nurse him back to health. Port Royal’s devastation continued for weeks after the earthquake, as disease

  ran rampant.

  The cemetery had been washed up during the earthquake and people were still finding dead bodies

  around the city, even weeks later. Sadly, Angel feared Port Royal would never see its days of glory again.

  Two thousand people had died during the disaster, including Bruno, the lieutenant, as well as most

  of Blac’s crew. Rigo still hadn’t been found and the Serpent rested now in its watery grave, along with

  hundreds of vessels. The only visible remains of the undersea graveyard were a forest of masts gouging

  the surface of the waves.

  Port Royal lay in silence, mourning the loss of her soul that breathed life into the tiny port. The town

  remained deserted.

  The night threaded weak moonlight into the room at the inn. Angel crossed her arms over her chest

  and peered out the window at the harbor beyond. Moonlight flickered across the water, illuminating the

  few ships in the harbor. Since the earthquake, there seemed to be a curse on the area and people were

  afraid to be on the same island as Port Royal. Forget the fact that Port Royal lay on the opposite side of

  the Harbor and Kingston was tucked safely on solid ground, and not adrift on a tiny spit of land.

  Turning from the window, she glanced to the man in the bed. His breath echoed in the silence of the